Mo. Guard says troops' info may be compromised

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) -- The personal information of up to 2,000 members of the Missouri National Guard may have been compromised after a computer was stolen, officials said Tuesday.

The Guard said the theft occurred Monday, but it would not provide details on the type of information, saying that could compromise the police investigation.

Columbia police Sgt. Ken Hammond confirmed that his department received the initial report about the theft. He also confirmed that a National Guard computer was stolen from Columbia.

"I'm not sure what type of computer it was or the type of information it entails," Hammond said.

He said the police will release a report once they have completed their investigation, but he declined further comment.

Capt. Tamara Spicer, a spokeswoman for the Missouri National Guard, said the Guard would send letters to all potentially affected troops this week.

"The letter doesn't mean that your information has been compromised, but it just means you should pay attention to your accounts," Spicer said. "We're trying to be proactive to make sure that with any information released, someone would be able to protect themselves."

She said the Guard wasn't sure exactly how many troops or exactly who was affected, but she said the theft couldn't have involved up to 2,000 people's information.

She also said officials didn't have any reason to believe the information would be exploited.

Still, Maj. Gen. King Sidwell said he was distressed by what happened.

"I am especially concerned about the problems and inconvenience this may cause for our Missouri National Guard citizen-soldiers and their families," he said in a written statement.

The Guard said it established a hot line for those who are concerned about their personal information and is reviewing its information security procedures in light of the theft.